Creating a Future for Greenbelt Road/MD-193
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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL REPORT Creating a Future for Greenbelt Road/MD-193 WASHINGTON, DC SPONSORED BY: City of Greenbelt City of College Park Town of Berwyn Heights Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments June 4-5, 2018 Washington ABOUT ULI WASHINGTON A DISTRICT COUNCIL OF THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE ULI Washington is a district council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a nonprofit education and research organization supported by its members. Founded in 1936, the Institute today has over 32,000 members worldwide representing the entire spectrum of land use planning and real estate development disciplines working in private enter-prise and public service. As the preeminent, multidisciplinary real estate forum, ULI facilitates the open exchange of ideas, information, and experi- ence among local, national, and international industry leaders and policy makers dedicated to creating better communities. ULI’s mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creat- ing and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. ULI Washington carries out the ULI mission locally by sharing best practices, building consensus, and advanc- ing solutions through educational programs and community outreach initiatives. ABOUT THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL (TAP) PROGRAM The objective of ULI Washington’s Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) program is to provide expert, multidisciplinary, and objective advice on land use and real estate is-sues facing public agencies and nonprofit organizations in the Metropolitan Washing-ton Region. Drawing from its extensive membership base, ULI Washington conducts one and one-half day Panels offering objec- tive and responsible advice to local decision-makers on a wide variety of land use and real estate issues, ranging from site-specific projects to public pol- icy questions. The TAP program is intentionally flexible to provide a custom- ized approach to specific land use and real estate issues. Learn more at http:// washington.uli.org/TAPs. Yolanda Cole, FAIA Lisa W. Rother Chair, ULI Washington Executive Director Sr. Principal, Hickok Cole ULI Washington Architects Robert Peck Deborah Kerson Bilek Chair, Technical Assistance Senior Director, Community Outreach Principal, Gensler ULI Washington Table of Contents ULI WASHINGTON PANEL & PROJECT STAFF 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 WHAT PANELISTS HEARD 6 OPPORTUNITIES 8 MOBILITY POSSIBILITIES 12 LAND USE ENHANCEMENTS 18 MARKET + SOCIAL REALITIES 21 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES 22 CONCLUSION 28 PANELISTS 29 ULI Washington Panel & Project Staff PANEL CHAIR Marsha Kaiser WSP Washington, DC PANELISTS Lora Byala Paul Moyer, AICP, Kyle Talente Foursquare Integrated ENV SP RKG Associates, Inc. Transportation Planning Alexandria, VA Jacobs Rockville, MD Arlington, VA N’kosi Yearwood Suzette Goldstein Josh Olsen Montgomery County HOK Department of Planning Monument Realty Washington, DC Silver Spring, MD Washington, DC Nicole McCall Merrill St. Leger Metropolitan Washington SmithGroup Council of Governments Washington, DC Washington, DC PROJECT STAFF REPORT AUTHOR Deborah Kerson Bilek Dan Reed ULI Washington Report Author/Editor Washington, DC Silver Spring, MD 2 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL REPORT Acknowledgments ULI Washington is grateful to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments for its continued partnership and commitment to delivering TAPs in COG-designated Activity Centers. In addition, ULI Washington wishes to acknowledge the dedicated staff members of the City of College Park, the Town of Berwyn Heights, and the City of Greenbelt for their assistance and hospitality throughout this TAP. In particular, ULI would like to acknowledge: Nicole Ard, Terri Hruby, Terry Schum, Jessica Cowles, Ann Marie Belton, Jessica Bellah, Steve Beavers, Ryan Chelton, as well as the entire onsite staff of the Springhill Lake Recreation Center. CREATING A FUTURE FOR GREENBELT ROAD/MD-193 3 Executive Summary Located in northern Prince George’s County, the Greenbelt Road corridor connects the municipalities of Greenbelt, College Park, and Berwyn Heights. It was primarily developed during the mid 20th century as a classic suburban commercial strip, and today consists of a mix of drive-through retail, industrial uses, an enclosed shopping mall, and several mature residential neighborhoods, with both rental and for-sale housing. It is a stable, middle-class community, whose residents embrace its diversity and affordability. The area is close to several major employers such as NASA Goddard, is two miles from the University of Maryland, whose students, faculty, and staff frequent the shopping along Greenbelt Road, and major parks like Greenbelt Park and Lake Artemesia. The corridor’s proximity to the Beltway and the Greenbelt Metro and MARC stations have historically made it a popular location for both residential and commercial development over the past few decades. However, the Greenbelt Road corridor is at a crossroads. Like many suburban commercial areas, it has lost some business to newer, outlying shopping centers, and grapples with some disinvestment and traffic congestion. Many community members express a desire for a greater variety of retail, but there is no singular vision for how the area can attract that. The corridor is beginning to see some significant new residential development at Greenbelt Station, including a large mixed-use community rising near the Greenbelt Metro station, which will bring new, potentially higher-income residents. As the area is subject to regional housing pressures, stakeholders expressed concerns about rising housing costs and the potential for gentrification. Additionally, the area faces some transportation challenges as it transitions from a primarily auto-oriented corridor to one with a more multimodal focus. Stakeholders noted that many residents do not drive to the variety of walking, bicycling, and transit options in the area, but Greenbelt Road itself remains a unsafe and unwelcoming place to travel without a car. Sidewalks are missing, curb cuts and closely spaced driveways are common, and heavy, fast- moving traffic makes the road a barrier between the commercial center and surrounding residential areas. 4 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL REPORT The Panel assembled a set of recommendations aimed at holistically addressing the Greenbelt Road corridor’s challenges as they relate to its economy, land use, and transportation. Its goal is to help this community develop a more sustainable economy, land uses that promote a stronger sense of place, and a multimodal transportation network that enables everyone to get around safely and comfortably. These recommendations will not be easy to carry out, and will require a strong vision from the community and many vocal champions for change. Nonetheless, these recommendations provide the three municipalities an opportunity to take control of their collective future. CREATING A FUTURE FOR GREENBELT ROAD/MD-193 5 What Panelists Heard Over two days, the Panel met with stakeholders from the Town of Berwyn Heights, the City of College Park, and the City of Greenbelt, and went on a site visit of the Greenbelt Road corridor. On the second day, the Panel presented their preliminary recommendations to the sponsors in a public meeting. Stakeholders were quick to share the study area’s strengths, including its diversity, having lots of community services at close reach, and proximity to the Metro, highways, major employers such as NASA Goddard, UMD, nearby healthcare providers such as Children’s Hospital and Kaiser Permanente, and The Panel went on a site parks including Greenbelt Park and Lake Artemesia. They noted that many visit to Beltway Plaza. Image Source: ULI residents chose not to own cars due to the variety of bus routes serving the Washington. area. Representatives from the Town of Berwyn Heights were proud that their median income was higher than surrounding areas, a sign of its economic strength, and wanted investment that reflected that. At the same time, there were conflicts present in the way stakeholders described the goals for the area in the future. The area is home to beloved restaurants, but residents mourn the loss of Sir Walter Raleigh, and note there are few places to go out for a sit-down meal. Stakeholders noted that the area could potentially serve as a residential community for University of Maryland faculty and staff, but local elementary schools are at or over capacity. Tourism was repeatedly mentioned as a potential economic engine, though opportuni- ties to leverage that remain untapped. Greenbelt Mayor Pro Tem Judith Davis describes her goals for the Greenbelt Road corridor to the panel. Image Source: ULI Washington. 6 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL REPORT Stakeholders expressed several desires for the area, including attracting more tech companies, leveraging the nearby arts scene along Route 1, and being a “local hub” for residents. A common thread among the stakeholders, and among residents, was “why can’t we have a X” store or restaurant. There was a feeling among some representatives that Prince George’s County had ignored the area to instead focus on developing National Harbor and Largo. However, stakeholders expressed enthusiasm for creative solutions that would help reposition the area. Beltway Plaza, an enclosed shopping mall built in 1964, is a large parcel potentially nearing redevelopment. But there is a mismatch between offerings A vacant restaurant at and desires of part of the community, and a mixed vision for what the future Beltway Plaza.